Not all rescuees innocent | The Star

KUALA LUMPUR: Some rescued job scam victims are not as innocent as portrayed, and in fact, may very well be syndicate agents, says Comm Datuk Seri Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain (pic).

The Bukit Aman Criminal Investigation Department (CID) director said such “victims” were found to have travelled multiple times to a country where job scam syndicates operated, even after they were rescued by authorities.

“After they were rescued and returned to Malaysia, we performed checks and investigated them at the airport. We detected they had travelled to the same country multiple times.

“When we interviewed them, their answers were always standard, as if they were scripted and rehearsed.

“Our further checks and intelligence gathering revealed they were also the same ones who enticed others to take up bogus job offers overseas,” he told reporters after a dialogue session with members of society under the Kuala Lumpur police contingent held at Taman Tun Dr Ismail here yesterday.

Comm Mohd Shuhaily said police also detected 16 rescued job scam victims travelling overseas despite having being rescued by Malaysian authorities previously.

“Normally, people who have been rescued would be traumatised to travel overseas.

“However, if they are caught overseas under circumstances similar to job scams, then it shows our assumptions are spot on. We will monitor the situation closely,” he said, adding the department has prepared a briefing note for the Home Minister on the matter.

“It is up to the Home Ministry to evaluate the procedure to issue travel documents should the victims often return to countries where job scam syndicates operated,” he said.

Since 2021, police have rescued 326 Malaysian job scam victims stranded overseas.

Police received 354 reports on job scams involving a total of 459 victims from 2021 to February 23 this year, with 133 victims still “trapped” outside the country.

On another matter, Comm Mohd Shuhaily said the level of trust between the public and the police, especially those in the CID, must be improved. He said towards this end, protecting the confidentially of those who lodged police reports should be priority.“I am aware that there have been shortcomings on our part.

“For example, there was an incident where the suspect and the complainant were called up at the same time for their statements to be recorded. It should not be the case and should be rectified.

“I will look into the matter, so will my deputies as well as all the state and district CID chiefs,” he said in responding to an issue raised by a member of the audience on identities of those who lodge reports being leaked to suspects.

On his hopes for Kuala Lumpur CID, Comm Mohd Shuhaily said its officers must have high motivation and dedication as well as adequate knowledge.

“The spectrum of people in KL is very big, thus investigators cannot treat every case the same way.

“They must be attentive to the victims and the case. All elements of the CID in KL contingent must be the best of the best as they will inspire other CIDs in other states,” he said.

Comm Mohd Shuhaily also expressed his confidence in deputy CID director Datuk Rusdi Mohd Isa, who will be the next KL police chief.

“Given his experiences in handling high profile cases, KL will be led by a capable police chief,” he said.

On yesterday’s dialogue session, Comm Mohd Shuhaily said it was the second of such session after the first one held in Klang.

“We had a non-stop engagement from 9.30am till 1.15pm. We will expand it to other states as such sessions are fruitful in forging closer ties between the public and police,” he said.